On June 6, 2024, the Veterinary Professions Act, 2024 (the "Act") received Royal Assent in the Ontario legislature. The College of Veterinarians of Ontario will be drafting new regulations and by-laws, and will transition into the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario (the "CVPO") in the near future. While the new Act is not yet in force, following proclamation it will replace Ontario's Veterinarians Act and introduce changes to the regulation of veterinary medicine in the province.
Regulation of Registered Veterinary Technicians
One of the biggest changes that the Act will bring is the regulation of Registered Veterinary Technicians ("RVTs"). RVTs will be licensed through the CVPO and will be subject to the same quality assurance and complaints and resolution processes as veterinarians. RVTs will also be able to perform specific defined activities under an expanded scope of practice, although the details of this remain to be determined under the Act's regulations. In preparation for CVPO regulation, RVTs should familiarize themselves with the Act and stay up to date as the new regulatory framework is released.
Updates to Complaints Process
The new Act makes changes to the complaints and resolutions process. The College of Veterinarians of Ontario has commented that these changes were made to streamline the complaints and resolutions process, enabling such disputes to be addressed more quickly and efficiently. The Act includes an updated procedure for investigations for professional misconduct and fitness to practice, and introduces an alternative dispute resolution process for resolving some complaint matters, where appropriate.
Other Major Changes
The Act also introduces a formal quality assurance program that veterinarians and RVTs must abide by in order to maintain their licensure with the CVPO. The details of the quality assurance program will be established by the regulations, which have not yet been developed. Veterinarians and RVTs can expect that the quality assurance program will involve elements of continuing education or professional development, self, peer, and practice assessments, and mechanisms for the CVPO to monitor members' participation in and compliance with the program. These new requirements are similar to quality assurance programs in other regulated professions in Ontario.
Additionally, the Act allows for non-veterinary professionals, namely chiropractors and pharmacists, to perform some authorized activities. Similarly, the Act will allow other non-members to carry out authorized activities if the activity is delegated by a member of the CVPO. The specifics of this will depend on the regulations.
Key Takeaways
Veterinarians, RVTs, and owners of veterinary clinics in Ontario should review the Act and guidance from the College of Veterinarians of Ontario in preparation for the upcoming legislative changes. As the new regulatory framework is developed in the coming years, the finer details of how the Act will be applied will become clearer.
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